Foreign Languages / Humanities

Russian

Russian is the fifth most spoken language on the planet, boasting 277 million speakers worldwide, including 154 million native speakers. Proficiency in Russian, a critical language, opens many doors. There are numerous job openings in such government bodies as the State Department, the Commerce Department, the Justice Department, the Department of Defense, and the various intelligence agencies. Unlimited commercial opportunities are emerging from an expanding Russian economy. Western firms which now do business in Russia as well as newly established Russian firms which do business with the West (and indeed with everyone) have created myriad job opportunities for those with multiple language skills. Meanwhile, Russia remains the lingua franca of a massive portion of Eurasia, so studying it opens you up to numerous NGOs, companies and government bodies both in that region and at home.